I. Field of the Invention
A bracket for mounting a vehicle console having gear shifter fixed to an instrument panel reinforcement to a raised portion of a floor panel of a motor vehicle using a fastening device having a rigid shaft, the rigid shaft having a predetermined diameter.
II. Description of Material Art
The brackets of the type to which the subject invention pertains, are rigid and provide insufficient tolerance for adjusting the placement of a vehicle console. One such bracket is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,185,937 to Sakakibara wherein the bracket is formed from two Z-shaped portions, each Z-shaped portion having an upper planar surface member. One upper planar surface member of the Z-shaped portion is disposed in an overlapping relationship with the other upper planar surface member of the Z-shaped portion. The bracket is capable of adjustment along the width of the vehicle by sliding the Z-shaped portions until the desired width is achieved. The bracket works in conjunction with a pair of rails to provide tolerance along the length of the vehicle. Although this bracket and rail system provides tolerance along the width and length of the vehicle, no tolerance is provided along the height of the vehicle. However, a popular vehicle design, as seen in the Toyota Sienna, is one where the gear shifter is fixed to the instrument panel reinforcement. In such designs the gear shifter is fixed to the instrument panel reinforcement and a pair of side console panels is also mounted to the instrument panel reinforcement. The side console panels cover each exposed sides of the instrument panel reinforcement for aesthetic purposes. Each side console panel is fitted with slots at the exposed edge, and the front of the vehicle console is fitted with corresponding datum tabs so that the vehicle console may be attached to the side console panels at the exposed edge.
Imprecision in tooling may leave a gap between the bottom vehicle console and the vehicle floor, and the vehicle console may be skewed from the desired alignment upon attachment of the vehicle console to the side console panels. Accordingly, brackets of the prior art present a problem where the car manufacture desires to ensure that the console remains flush to the vehicle floor as conventional brackets do not allow for tolerance along the height of the vehicle. Furthermore, brackets of the prior art are used in conjunction with other elements to provide the tolerance need to ensure that the vehicle console is fitted in a desirable manner, and it is desirable from a cost savings perspective to have one bracket that allows for tolerance in a plurality of directions.